FAMILY LABRIDAE — SCHULTZ 213 



a strong canine at corner of mouth; teeth uniserial, compressed, in- 

 cisorlike, short, about 5 to 7 on each side in upper jaw and 7 to 10 

 on each side in lower jaw, all dentition is on anterior part of jaws, 

 the anteriormost teeth not enlarged; lateral line continuous, dropping 

 to midaxis of caudal peduncle at about 19 to 21 pores; pectoral fin 

 reaches to opposite of about 9th or 10th lateral line pore; first or 

 second branched ray from dorsal edge of pectoral fin longest; pelvics 

 reach about two-thirds of way to anus; caudal fin rounded posteriorly. 



Color in alcohol. — At lengths from 45 to 92 mm. dorsal half of body 

 brown or grayish brown, lower sides abruptly paler, often separated by 

 a pearly white streak running along midaxis of side from snout tip 

 and just under orbit through white spot at dorsal edge of pectoral base 

 to just below peduncular black spots, the latter encircled with a white 

 ring; usually 2 black spots on the caudal peduncle but number may 

 vary from 4 to none (on small specimens 30 mm. or shorter). Scale 

 pockets on lower half of body are pearly or white edged; dorsal part of 

 head and body minutely peppered with tiny white specks, these may 

 be brownish, depending on preservation; middorsal line of snout near 

 its tip with a black spot that may be lacking on larger specimens; 

 both sides of pectoral fin base dark brown and sharply contrasting with 

 pale or white pectoral fin; a pale or white streak on side of snout 

 extends just under eye and usually to white pectoral spot. 



At lengths from 30 to 47 mm. midside caudal peduncle with 2 small 

 black specks one on each scale over pores; on base of caudal fin just 

 above middle a small black spot, between last two or last 3 soft dorsal 

 rays a black spot, between last two or last soft anal rays a fainter dark 

 spot, and at middorsal line at front of snout a dark spot; dorsal surface 

 of head peppered with tiny dusky specks, or with pale ones, depending 

 on preservation. Peritoneum white or pale. 



At lengths from 13 to 30 mm. the black spots on sides of caudal 

 peduncle are usually lacking, whereas those dark spots on rear of soft 

 dorsal, and soft anal fins are regularly present, and the one just above 

 midaxis at base of caudal fin is present; black spot on snout present. 

 Occasionally on young 25 to 30 mm. in standard length a black spot 

 occurs basally on ventral edge of caudal fin. 



Color when alive. — Black spots on caudal peduncle bordered with 

 light blue; back grayish brown, everywhere finely spotted with close- 

 set tiny blue dots; along midaxis of body a pinkish streak; lower sides 

 whitish, tinged with pmk; just above pectoral base is an orange 

 blotch, below which is a bright blue spot on pectoral base; iris of eye 

 orange; from below eye to tip of snout and including upper and lower 

 lips is a yellow streak bordered ventrally and posteriorly with pink; 

 posterior to the pink area and about under eye, a small bluish area. 



